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Here's how Virat Kohli negated threat of Saeed Ajmal in 2012 Asia Cup

News Agencies 31 May 2020, 9:51 IST

Here's how Virat Kohli negated threat of Saeed Ajmal in 2012 Asia Cup

India skipper Virat Kohli deciphered his 183-run knock against Pakistan in the 2012 Asia Cup and also revealed as to how he negated the threat of Saeed Ajmal.

In the match against Pakistan, India was chasing a target of 330, but the Men in Blue was able to do it with 13 balls to spare as Kohli played a knock of 183 runs off just 148 balls.

Kohli was doing an Instagram live session with spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and it was then that the Indian skipper was asked to talk about his knock in the 2012 Asia Cup against Pakistan.

"I told myself that I am going to start playing him (Ajmal) like a legspinner because his doosra was quite difficult to face and his offspinner was not that lethal. So I said I am going to try and hit him over cover consistently, and it just paid off. As soon as I negated his doosra, the potency of his threat became lesser and lesser," Kohli told Ashwin during the chat.

"In that game, I scored most of my runs against him through the offside. My only aim was that I am going to make him unsettled with his doosra. He should fear bowling the doosra to me, then I am on top of my game," he added.

In the match against Pakistan in 2012, Kohli smashed 22 boundaries and 1 six. He was involved in a 133-run stand with Sachin Tendulkar for the second wicket as well.

Coincidentally, it was Tendulkar's last ODI for India as well.

Further explaining that knock against Pakistan, Kohli went on to say that the bowling lineup of the arch-rival was quite potent at that time.

"Their bowling attack was quite potent. At the time they were a really challenging bowling attack because of the variations. There was Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Aizaz Cheema and there was Hafeez as well. For the first 20-25 overs, the conditions were clearly in their favour but I remember I was just happy batting next to paaji (Sachin Tendulkar)," Kohli said.

"It turned out to be his last ODI innings and he scored a 50 and we got a 100-run partnership so that was a memorable anecdote for me," he added.

The Indian skipper went on to label that match as a game-changer for him and as quite 'memorable' for the entire side.

"It naturally happened because I was constantly boosting myself up to want those situations to happen. I think that turned out to be a game-changer for me. I fondly remember that chase it was really tough, Rohit played brilliantly and in the end, MS Dhoni and Raina finished with three overs to spare or something, chasing 330 which was quite memorable," Kohli said.

Over the years, comparisons between Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar have been growing and many have picked the current Indian skipper to break the records set by Tendulkar.

Tendulkar called time on his career after registering 100 international centuries, while Kohli has 70 centuries across all formats.

Currently, Kohli is ranked at the top spot in the ICC ODI rankings while he is in second place in the Tests rankings. 

-ANI

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